Suddenly, 32 containers were seized
Sunny Worldwide LogisticsIt is a logistics company with more than 20 years of transportation experience, focusing on markets such as Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Southeast Asia. It is more of a cargo owner than a cargo owner~
Recently, a piece of anti-smuggling news from the Philippines hit the screens in the freight forwarding circle—— 32 containers, worth about 300 million yuan of goods involved Smuggled cigarettes were seized! What is even more unexpected is that such a huge smuggling case was "accidentally" solved when the police were chasing the car thieves.
The breakthrough in the case occurred on the morning of December 31, local time. The Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Division used the satellite positioning system to locate the whereabouts of a stolen vehicle and eventually tracked it to Cinco Village, Barete Town, Batangas City. Around the scene where the stolen vehicle was found, investigators found a dozen large trucks parked, each carrying a 40-foot container. This abnormal situation immediately attracted the attention of the police.
Subsequently, the police conducted a surprise inspection on these trucks, and the results were shocking: 14 of the containers were filled with suspected smuggled cigarettes of various brands. At present, the batch of cigarettes involved in the case has been seized by the police in accordance with the law. According to preliminary statistics, its market value is approximately Philippine pesos 1-1.1 billion.
Unexpectedly, just as the case in the morning came to an end, another major gain was made in the evening. At about 10 o'clock that night, another major case of smuggling cigarettes was discovered in a container yard in Manila. At that time, the police were chasing two suspected car thieves driving motorcycles. During the pursuit, they followed up to the container yard. A large number of suspected smuggled cigarettes were clearly visible in multiple open containers at the scene.
After careful investigation and verification by the police, there were 18 containers hiding smuggled cigarettes in the container yard, with the estimated value of the case being as high as Php 1.5 billion. At the scene of the operation, the police controlled three relevant personnel on the spot, including two container yard employees and a security personnel, and at the same time seized all the cigarettes involved.
Since the cigarettes seized in the two cases are almost identical and occurred almost at the same time, the Philippine National Police is jointly working with the Customs Administration, the Bureau of Revenue and other law enforcement agencies to trace the source, distribution route and possible source of funds of the cigarettes involved, and to investigate whether the two cases are related and whether they were committed by the same smuggling gang.
Philippine National Police Acting Chief Nartatez said these are signs of the involvement of organized crime groups and the police will do their best to identify the perpetrators and investigate the case thoroughly.
Although this case occurred overseas, it has sounded a warning to everyone engaged in the international logistics and freight forwarding industry:
1. Verification of authenticity of goods cannot be ignored
The number of containers involved in the case is large and the cargo value is high. If there is a stricter review mechanism in the customs declaration and packing process, abnormalities may be detected at an early stage. As a freight forwarder, you have the responsibility to conduct basic verification of consigned goods to avoid becoming a "transportation vehicle" for criminals.
2. Compliance reporting is the lifeline
Smuggling seriously disrupts market order and damages the reputation of regular freight forwarding and logistics companies. Whether you are operating by yourself or declaring on behalf of an agent, you must strictly abide by the customs regulations of each country and ensure that individual goods are consistent and truthfully declared.
3. The importance of full traceability system
In the case, the police found clues by tracking the vehicle through GPS. This also reminds everyone that establishing a logistics system with full visibility and traceability of goods can not only improve the service experience, but also provide timely warning and response to abnormal situations.
